Quality of life of patients with renal cell carcinoma or prostate cancer after radical surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To study the impact of radical tumour surgery in prostate and renal cell cancer patients on quality of life (QOL).


METHODS
In 38 male patients suffering from organ-confined prostate or renal cell cancer, a prospective study was performed. For the evaluation of QOL, we used the EMPK (Erfassung multipler psychischer Konstrukte). Urologic symptoms were evaluated with a specially designed symptom score. The test instrument was filled out the day before surgery and one year after operation.


RESULTS
The EMPK was able to detect and describe significant changes in certain aspects of QOL in renal cell cancer and prostate cancer patients. Moreover, there seems to be a difference between the two groups. A direct relation between QOL and the different quality and quantity of operation-related symptoms, however, could not be proven.


CONCLUSIONS
In this pilot study, radical surgical therapy did not significantly change QOL in prostate cancer patients, but seemed to have a positive influence on the QOL of renal cell cancer patients.
Pannek
J
J
Department of Urology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany.
Hallner
D
D
Kugler
J
J
Haupt
G
G
Krüskemper
G M
GM
Senge
T
T
D000368:Aged; D002292:Carcinoma, Renal Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life